House of Hazelwood Blends; The Glendronach; Tomatin Sherry Collection

Hello everyone

This time, the tasting notes on the two House of Hazelwood blends I mentioned last column. Plus, The Glendronach has a new campaign out as well as a new pack design. I‘ve also been sent samples of the new Tomatin Sherry Collection but have room for only one here.

We start with House of Hazelwood – The Hazelwood Highlander Blended Scotch Whisky and A Minute to Midnight Blended Scotch Whisky. Now, I must say from the outset, that I‘d happily inhale both of these from the glass for hours. Both very different one from the other. I like to leave a little in the glasses for a while after nosing and tasting to see what happens. Interestingly, Hazelwood Highlander did lose the enticing aromas after quite a while in the glass and became quite waxy, though A Minute to Midnight just kept giving. The former is matured in…., while the latter is distinctly sherried.

The Hazelwood Highlander is 33 years old and bottled at 45.8% abv. Price in UK is around £1,200 with only 203 bottles available.

Appearance: Bright, sunny barley gold with pale brass highlights.

Nose: Sweet caramel; sugared almonds and candied nuts; baked pear and apple with honey. Vanilla cistard; toffee and a little oak. With water, a little more wood coming out as wood shavings; creamier; a touch more savoury dried herb and some astringency. A late hint of mint too. A really lovely nose.

Palate: Quite a luscious mouth feel. Sweet wood and vanilla. Slightly mouth-drying; savoury herbs and a slightly bitter note.

Finish: Quite long and dry with herbal and oak notes.

By contrast, A Minute to Midnight is 45 years old and bottled at 58.6% abv. Only 154 bottles available with a price tag of around £4,000 or equivalent in your market dependent on duties and taxes.

Appearance: Glowing, rich amber / light mahogany. Caramelised orange highlights and a greenish tinge to the rim.

Nose: Damp woods; deep caramel; mellow oak and nuts. Baked honey, rich milk chocolate and richly roasted cereal. An interesting fresh air note too. Raisins and currants soaked in tea and sherry. With water, more malty cereal and sweet oak but a dry, savoury spice note also. Coffee with milk and sigar and a touch of waxiness.

Palate: Slightly unctuous mouth feel; very tongue-drying; peppery. Bitter chocolate/coffee grounds and oak asringency.

Finish: Long and very dry with bitter chocolate notes.

I‘d be very happy to have both of these again as long as someone else is paying. Seriously, though, for the age, rarity and quality, they are not outrageously priced if you have the money and are smart enough not to be a malt snob. Regarding distribution,we are told, „The House of Hazelwood’s third collection is available exclusively to order from www.houseofhazelwood.com and select luxury retailers. The 2024 Collection will be rolled out to international markets throughout 2024 including Germany, Italy, France, and Taiwan, with US and other parts of Asia to follow in 2025.“ Given the number of markets, that does mean only tiny quantities will be available in each one.

Tomatin people were kind enough to send me three samples from their Sherry Collection and today‘s one is The Manzanilla Edition. It‘s bottled at 46% abv at 10 years old with no chill-filtration and no added colour and was finished in manzanilla butts for two years.

Appearance: Ripe, rich golden barley with brass highlights.

Nose: Fresh salty sea air (it‘s the casks not the location)A little touch of sulphur; salted nuts;more savoury than sweet. A tiny touch of wax, yeasty dough and some sweet oak. With water, still the touch of sulphur; gentle apricot fruit; a little bit of almond and green leaves.

Palate: Medium mouthfeel; some fruit sweetness; salted nuts and a little peppery; some oak and a small waft of sulphur; dried herbs; faint citrus zest and leather. Quite drying.

Finish: Medium length; mouth drying; dried herbs with a little sweet oak, creaminess and leather.

The Sherry Collection expressions are available in certain specialist spirits stores and via the distillery‘s website at https://tomatin.com/blog/tomatin/the-sherry-collection/. Price for this Manzanilla version is around £65 at UK pricing. I‘ll cover the Palo Cortado and Pedro Ximenez expressions, both of which are matured for longer, next time.

Lastly, The Glendronch, God‘s own single malt distillery (okay, I‘m biased but you never forget your first love, right?) has launched a new promotional camapign shot by renowned photographer and film maker, Rankin. As the distillery uses top quality sherry casks for maturation the campaign features this close link between Scotland and Spain by using flamenco dancer, Rocio Dusmet Orellana, dancing in the distillery. It‘s a beautiful evocation of the location and wonderful to see the still house looking so good. Find some shots and film at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZXEzS0hDCE and more info on https://www.southpawagency.com/post/rankin-and-southpaw-creative-agency-unveil-new-brand-campaign-raise-expectations-for-the-glendronach-whisky .

The distillery is expanding – there was plenty of preparation work when I was up there in March – as well as making alteration and renovations to The Glen House as we always called it where our company managers and distributor and agency visitors would stay when up there for work. I understand the usage will change but detail awaited.

They have also just redesigned the packaging for the first time in a while. I‘m maybe too close to it to appreciate the change but I‘m not commenting on that till I‘ve seen it in the flesh rather than in pics. The new designs are launched now.

That‘s all for July. Back middle of August with those other two Tomatins and more.

Till then, happy dramming.

Slainte,

Caroline